Tunisian govt bans planned opposition protest

Tunisian authorities have placed a banned on a planned nationwide protest by the country’s main opposition coalition, the National Salvation Front (NSF), which was scheduled for Sunday, March 5.

The National Salvation Front had planned to protest over the recent arrests of critics of President Kais Saied, while Tunisia’s national trade union federation also has its own demonstration planned.

The North African country’s government in announcement on Thursday, said the upcoming demonstrations will not go ahead as the request by the NSF was not approved.

The Governor of Tunis, Kamel Feki, in a statement, said the NSF’s request to hold a march on Sunday had not been approved as some of its leaders are suspected of plotting against state security.

The NSF had called for the protest on Sunday against what it described as “political arrests and violations against public and individual freedoms.”

It said about 20 critics and rivals of President Kais Saied have been arrested and detained in recent weeks.

READ ALSO:Tunisia orders arrest of former presidential candidate

The arrests, the NSF said, also include the owner of a major media outlet and a prominent businessman, represent the biggest crackdown on opponents of Saied since he seized most powers in 2021.

The Tunisian media reported that two members of the Islamist-leaning Ennahda Party, Sadok Chourou and Habib Ellouz, were also arrested.

Ennahda, the main group within the NSF’s former member of governing coalitions, said the arrests were designed to “terrorize the opposition.”

The Tunisian General Labor Union (UGTT) said it has its own protest planned for Saturday against Saied’s “one-man rule.”

The UGTT has described the ban as “a further violation of trade union rights and the basic principles of freedoms and human rights.”

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